EN
Challenge a friend
Duels

Checkers online, with a friend

The classic board game of jumps and kings: capture your friend’s pieces, chain double jumps and crown your kings. English, German, Spanish, Turkish or international rules, free and no download.

  • 2 players
  • About 10 min
  • Watchable live
  • Free, no sign-up

Challenge a friend

Start the game, then send the link. The first person to accept plays you.

Rules
Who goes first?

Links stay open 48 hours after the last move.

A checkers board with red and yellow pieces, one crowned king and a double jump

Checkers, or draughts, over a link

Checkers is one of the oldest board games there is, and one of the friendliest: twelve pieces each, a board of dark squares and one simple idea. Move diagonally, jump over your friend’s pieces to capture them, and reach the far side to crown a king. Whoever runs out of pieces or moves loses.

On BeatMe you play it with a link. Start a game, send it in any chat, and your friend plays in the browser. Play live together or one move at a time, whenever you both have a minute: the last move stays marked on the board, so you always see what changed. Every move is checked on our server, and forced captures are shown on the board, so nobody argues about the rules.

How to play Checkers

Pick the rules and send the link

English checkers is the default. Pick German, Spanish, Turkish or international (10×10) rules if that’s how you grew up playing, then send the beatme.link link. You play red, your friend yellow.

Move and jump

Tap a piece and the squares it can reach light up. Pieces move one square forward diagonally. Jump over an enemy piece onto the empty square behind it to capture it, and keep jumping if you can.

Captures are compulsory

If you can capture, you must. The pieces that can capture glow red. With German, Spanish, Turkish and international rules you must take the most pieces possible.

Crown your kings

A piece that ends its move on the far row becomes a king and gets a crown. Kings move backwards too; with all rules except English, kings fly across any number of squares.

Checkers tips

  • Keep your back row. Pieces on your own back row stop enemy pieces from being crowned. Leave them there as long as you can.
  • Move in pairs. A piece with a friend behind it can’t be jumped. Lonely pieces in the middle get picked off.
  • Use the forced capture. Since captures are compulsory, you can offer one piece to pull an enemy piece where you can take two.
  • Control the centre. Pieces in the middle have more moves than pieces on the edge, and an edge piece can only be attacked from one side.
  • Count before you trade. When you are ahead, trading piece for piece brings you closer to the win. When you are behind, avoid it.

Five rule sets, one board

Checkers is played differently around the world, and each version is here. English checkers: 8×8, pieces capture forward only, kings move one square. Flying kings (German Dame, Brazilian draughts): pieces also capture backwards, kings fly, the biggest capture is compulsory. Spanish damas: like flying kings, but pieces never capture backwards, and taking kings counts first. International draughts: 10×10 with 20 pieces each. Turkish dama: pieces stand on every square and move straight, forwards or sideways.

Checkers FAQ

Can I play checkers online with a friend for free?

Yes. Start a game on this page, send the link and your friend plays in their browser. Free, no app, no account.

Do we have to play at the same time?

No. Play live if you are both online, or one move at a time whenever you like. The last move stays marked on the board.

Do I have to capture?

Yes, in every rule set a capture is compulsory, and a jump sequence must be played to the end. The pieces that can capture glow red so you don’t miss them.

How do kings move?

In English checkers a king moves one square in any diagonal direction. In the German, Spanish, Turkish and international rules a king flies any number of squares.

When is it a draw?

After 50 moves in a row without a capture or a piece moving, or when each player has just one king left.

Is checkers the same as draughts?

Yes. Checkers is the American name, draughts the British one. Both are the English rules here.

More games for two

NewDuelsDominoesMatch the ends. Block the line. Domino! 2 players · 6 minNewRacesWord DuelSame word, six guesses. Who cracks it first? 2 players · 3 minNewRacesGeo QuizFlags, capitals, rivers. Who knows the world better? 2 players · 3 minDuelsConnect 4Four in a row. Outsmart them. 2 players · 5 minDuelsSea BattleHide your fleet. Hunt theirs. 2 players · 10 minRacesHangmanSame word. Fewer sticks win. 2 players · 3 minBeat My ScoreReaction DuelWait for green. Then tap. Faster. 2 players · 1 minDuelsTic-Tac-ToeThree in a row. Thirty seconds. 2 players · 1 minDuelsFive in a RowFive in a row. The board is huge. 2 players · 6 minDuelsDots and BoxesClose the box. Take another turn. 2 players · 5 minDuelsLudoRoll a six. Race your pawns home. 2 players · 10 minRacesCity Country RiverOne letter. Six categories. Go! 2 players · 3 minDuelsNine Men’s MorrisThree in a row. Take a stone. 2 players · 10 minDuelsBackgammonRoll, race, hit and bear off. 2 players · 15 minBeat My ScoreFive DiceSame dice. Better choices win. 2 players · 5 minRacesMinesweeper DuelSame minefield. Fastest sweeper wins. 2 players · 3 minSealed RoundsRock Paper ScissorsLock in your throw. Reveal together. 2 players · 1 minRacesTyping RaceSame words. Type faster. 2 players · 1 minNewDuelsMemory MatchFlip two. Remember everything. 2 players · 4 minNewDuelsCrazy EightsMatch the suit. Eights are wild. Empty your hand first. 2 players · 5 min